1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, program product, and game system for blurring an image, more particularly relates to a method of image display processing, computer readable program product, and game system for a ball playing game.
2. Description of the Related Art
In image processing for three-dimensional computer games used by video game systems, processing the image so as to give the image drawn in the virtual three-dimensional space of the monitor screen a blurred effect like that according to the depth of an object etc. and drawing the image in a non-focused state has already been proposed. This type of image processing technique is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 6-139353, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-222694, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 11-120377.
Summarizing the problems to be solved by the invention, in the baseball game and other ball playing games of the related art, there was never the idea of displaying a screen having a depth effect of the field as in the field captured by a camera. Therefore, video games never displayed scenes with a distance feel where the stands or other far places become unfocused and with a consequent on-the-spot feeling like the baseball scenes of television broadcasts using television cameras with telescopic lenses.
In baseball game type video games, for example in the pitching and batting scene where a pitcher pitches a ball to a batter, making the image in the range where the ball is located a focused image so as to enable the position of the ball to be well understood, while making the rest of the image an unfocused blurred image gives an on-the-spot feeling and facilitates the progress of the game. The range where the ball is located means the range including for example the pitcher and the batter. Further, the rest of the image other than the range of the ball means for example the outfield, stands, etc.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of image display processing for a ball playing game for displaying a scene with an on-the-spot feel and a program product storing a program and video game system for such a ball playing game.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for blurring an image for execution of a game using a ball in a ball playing field set up in virtual space in accordance with an operation of a player, the method including setting a depth from any perspective point for a ball playing field in the virtual space, judging a position of the ball for the depth set in the ball playing field, changing scenes in accordance with the judged position of the ball, determining a blurring range behind the ball in accordance with the change of scenes, and displaying blurring in accordance with the determined blurring range.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer readable program product storing a program for execution of a game using a ball in a ball playing field set up in virtual space in accordance with an operation of a player, the program making the computer set a depth from any perspective point for a ball playing field in the virtual space, judge a position of the ball for the depth set in the ball playing field, change scenes in accordance with the judged position of the ball, determine a blurring range behind the ball in accordance with the change of scenes, and display blurring in accordance with the determined blurring range.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game system for playing a game using a ball in a ball playing field set up in virtual space in accordance with an operation of a player, provided with a unit for playing a game in accordance with a program, a memory for storing all or part of the program, and a display screen for displaying a game played by the unit, the unit, in accordance with the program stored in the memory, setting a depth from any perspective point for a ball playing field in the virtual space, judging a position of the ball for the depth set in the ball playing field, changing scenes in accordance with the judged position of the ball, determining a blurring range behind the ball in accordance with the change of scenes, and displaying blurring in accordance with the determined blurring range.